Four quick things:

1. Sorry about the wait (more on that later)!

2. Yes, I did intend for this story to be rated R. There will be language (you’ll see in later chapters), violence, and more sexual content than in my other story. You have been duly warned.

3. Not yet edited….point out the disgusting mistakes, please?

4. The spacing WILL NOT cooperate. I go through every paragraph and backspace but it still does this. I apologize.

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5.

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I gasped, gulping in the sweet night air as I unearthed myself from the grave. I felt dirt crumbling and falling off of me, although quite a bit of mud was still caked to my skin.

Right now, though, I didn’t care. As I heaved myself fully out of the ground, jerking my legs free, all I could think about was how relieved I was to be able to see the starry night sky again. After being in that Otherworld place of perpetual darkness, just seeing anything was a profound relief.

My relief only lasted a couple brief seconds before I felt hands grabbing each of my arms, yanking me to my feet. Still adjusting to being outside again, I glanced to my left and to my right in complete confusion to see Kaz holding me on one side, Adam on the other.

“What the-” I began, but before I could try to free myself, Kaz spoke.

“Just a precaution, Lucy. We need to make sure you are in control. You survived, but-”

“Control? Oh, you mean how you didn’t tell me some DEMON was going to try to work its way in my head?” I demanded incredulously, undaunted by the fact that they were vampires and I was shouting at them.

“Try” was the operative word there, I thought. A better description would be that “a demon succeeded in somehow merging with my body and mind.”

In my consciousness, I heard a dark chuckle.

“That’s her, alright,” Adam remarked wryly. “An Otherworld Spirit would never call itself a demon. They’re above that.” I turned to face him, narrowing my eyes as I saw the smirk gracing his features.

I gritted my teeth and prepared to test my newfound strength against their iron grip, but the two vampires released me before I could. Kaz circled around, coming to stand in front of me.

It was then that I realized, almost as a side note, that everything around me looked…sharper. Clearer. It was as if I was seeing everything in perfect clarity, now. The sharp planes of Kaz’s face, every leaf and blade of grass highlighted by the waning moonlight; the world looked the same, just more distinct. I’d had 20/20 vision before, but my former vision was fuzzy in comparison.

“Lucy. Listen to me,” Kaz was saying, breaking me out of my trance. I focused on him to see his dark gaze boring intensely into mine. He had a searching expression on his face, as if he were looking for some telltale sign in the depths of my eyes.

I wondered if he was looking for it…her. How could I tell him she was still in my mind? Wouldn’t that mean I had lost?

“Yes…” He said, slowly, after a long minute. “It seems she is still in control.”

“Still….?” I began, confusion tainting my thoughts for a brief moment before my brain came to the—possibly quite belated—conclusion. “You mean…this thing is supposed to still be in my head?”

I hoped I was right about my hunch regarding Kaz’s implication. Otherwise, there was no telling what they would do once they found out SHE was in my head.

Kaz nodded once, solemnly, and I felt my stomach plummet even though my conclusion had been correct. “No…that isn’t possible!” I gasped, the repercussions of my actions finally hitting me.

“It’s what’s supposed to happen. All of us have Spirits in our minds,” Adam replied calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“What…so I’m possessed now!?”

“Of course not!” Kaz replied hurriedly before Adam could. “It isn’t like that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me I’d be bringing something back with me?” My voice was taut with tension and barely suppressed anger. Kaz looked slightly uneasy, while Adam was infuriatingly calm.

“Would you have still agreed to the process if you’d known?” Adam cut in, raising one eyebrow as he stood next to Kaz, staring me down.

He has a point there, the Spirit spoke up in the back of my mind.

Shut up. I snapped, way past the point of being civil with her.

Distantly, I wondered if my newfound bravery, evident in the way I was speaking and reacting to the two VAMPIRES in front of me, had to do with the presence in the back of my mind.

Or maybe it was because I had just been buried alive. That kind of experience tended to bring down your barriers.

“Look, Lucy, I told you it was all about control. It still is. Your Spirit will always be with you, but don’t think of it as a demon. Spirits are not inherently evil.”

“But she said they feed on the vitality of humans!” I protested.

“They are drawn to life, it is true. But their reasons for doing so aren’t evil, per se. It’s just how they are…their instincts, so to speak. They are attracted to the vitality of human beings in much the same way as the lion is attracted to the deer. They don’t want to destroy humanity, they just want to survive.”

I opened and then closed my mouth, having no clue how to respond. I still wasn’t quite sure of the distinction.

“They are from a different world, a dimension nowhere close to ours. They can’t control their nature. If you were starving and your favorite food was placed on a platter in front of you, would you turn it down?” Kaz continued, his words vehement. I realized he must have had to convince others before me that this whole “Spirit” ordeal wasn’t insane.

“But you said we don’t feed on humans,” was my response. My confusion was still increasing.

“We don’t.” Kaz sighed heavily, running a hand through his darks locks as Adam stood nearby, silent. His lips were pursed as if he were thinking about something unpleasant.

I was briefly reminded of the moment when the blonde had bitten me. The memory made a warm and tingly sensation erupt on the side of my neck, which I vainly tried to ignore.

Hmm, so he is the one that bit you, that sent you to me. He IS outwardly appealing….for a weak being of flesh, the Spirit said, sounding contemplative.

I don’t know where you’re going with this but….stop, I retorted. Out here, in MY world, I had no fear of what she could do with me. I’d already shoved her to the deepest recess of my mind.

Kaz, fortunately, broke into my thoughts again. “Just because the Spirits are different from us doesn’t mean they aren’t compatible. The Spirits are….malleable. Meaning that, if they aren’t allowed to control you, they will eventually conform more to the human way of living.”

Absolutely not, the Spirit replied snippily. I ignored her.

“If you are resilient enough, you can change your Spirit’s nature, instead of the other way around. They will begin to think like a human, and will stop trying to drain every nearby living thing. They adjust to our world, and the way we want to live it. Your Spirit will stop trying to push you to feed, and some even become capable of certain human emotions.”

That will never happen, continued the running commentary in my head.

Will you EVER shut up?

If you let me take over…I’ll show them a thing or two about your pathetic “human nature,” she replied sneakily.

Not a chance.

“It may take months, or it may take years, for a Spirit to become willingly under your influence. Either way, it works out, as long as you remain in control. Adam and I…and all of the other vampires back at the HQ….have Spirits in our mind, Spirits we control just as you are supposed to.”

“And if I somehow lost control?” I asked tentatively. I didn’t really think it would happen, but I had to know of potential consequences.

“It would be like I said earlier. You’d become a rogue, an abomination feeding on everything without holding back. You would be a monster, like in the stories. Your Spirit may not think its actions are evil, but in the human world, you’d be a menace. It would fall on vampires like us to put you down.”

A shiver traveled down my spine as I heard those words. I did not like the sound of being hunted by other vampires, or becoming an “abomination.” Looks like I’d keep this “Spirit” locked up tight in my mind.

I felt her determination to break free, and I knew I wasn’t in for an easy ride.

“Do you understand now? We need to get a move on, and soon,” Adam muttered. I nodded hesitantly, glancing up to see that dawn was close by. Right, I couldn’t be out in sunlight now. Wonderful.

“Adam’s right. If you have more questions, we can explain on the way.” Kaz gestured towards the front of the graveyard. Unsure what else I was supposed to do, I began to follow.

Truth be told, I was still frustrated how they hadn’t told me everything. But, I was alive. I’d made it through. Now that I could take everything into account, I realized just how good I felt. I felt completely healthy, strong, and hyper-aware of everything around me. It was unreal.

As we exited the graveyard, I tried to adjust to my enhanced vision. My hearing was stronger, as well. I could hear the buzzing and chirping of insects from a good distance away, the sounds vibrating in my ear. Lucky for me, it was fairly devoid of noise out here, so it wasn’t too distracting.

The smells, too, pressed in upon me: freshly dug earth and the various types of plants growing all around me. I knew it would take some to adjust to my new-and-improved senses.

Realizing I was still caked with dirt, I tried to brush most of it off outside of the car. Some of it was stubborn, however, and I knew only a shower would rid me of it. Kaz opened the door for me in a very gentleman-like fashion and I saw he’d put a sheet down so I didn’t get dirt all over his car. I had no change of clothes, so I guessed I’d have to wait until we got back to the HQ.

When I slid into the car, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The car muted the small noises from outside, and the scent of the leather seats wafted into my nose. The Spirit inside my head was quiet, for now. I would have more time to dwell on her later.

Right in this moment, where I wasn’t gasping for air every other second, I couldn’t help but think that this was worth it…….so far. Despite everything I’d been through, the miracle cure had seemingly worked.

My heart beat strong and steady in my chest (so the whole “undead” thing was a myth, then), and I breathed easily, like I hadn’t for years. As annoying as Adam and the Spirit were, both of them had helped cure me of my terminal illness.

Other than the aversion to sunlight and the whole “drinking blood” thing, there weren’t too many downsides. Yet.

“We do need to identify your Spirit, though,” Kaz muttered thoughtfully, once we’d been driving in silence for a few minutes. “Did she tell you her name?”

“What?...Um, no,” I responded. I’d assumed she didn’t have a name. A name would almost seem to humanize her.

“Well, ask her now.”

Don’t bother. I will not tell you, she cut in before I could even ask.

Somehow, I wasn’t surprised.

“She won’t tell me.”

Adam, sitting in the passenger seat, turned so he could face me, a frown somewhat marring his sculpted features. “That’s somewhat unusual.”

“Adam, you try. You Turned her, so unless her Spirit is a really strong one, she should bow to your will.”

“I know how it works, Kaz,” the blonde responded, rolling his eyes. Then, before I could blink, his icy gaze snapped to mine, anchoring me in place. Adam’s eyes bored into me, cold and intense, and I felt something unfurl and stir within my gut. He narrowed them slightly, as if the sheer force of his orbs could penetrate my defenses.

“Spirit. Tell us your name,” he demanded, and I felt goosebumps erupt on my arms as I noticed the deeper-than-normal timbre of his voice.

It was as if something else was speaking through him. As I watched, Adam’s eyes seemed to darken, his pupils dilating. My Spirit stirred, every so slightly.

It felt like he was ordering me to do something, and my body wanted to comply. The part of my mind that was her, however, resisted.

I do not bow to the commands of a mortal, or his Spirit, she muttered irritably in my mind. And just like that, the connection between my gaze and Adam’s snapped. I was left feeling oddly bereft, and cold.

“She still won’t tell me,” I murmured. Adam fidgeted slightly, his frown deepening.

Kaz glanced at him. “Well, it’s been a while since this happened. Looks like the Commander will get a shot at her.”

“I don’t understand. Why do you need her name?” I broke in.

“Back at the HQ, we have a collection of studies on Spirits of the Otherworld. Every Spirit that’s ever been joined with a human, or ever been mentioned, in legend or otherwise, is there. It’s a pretty big list, since vampires have been around for so long.”

The Spirit in my mind was silent, but she was listening to this with avid interest, I could tell.

“The vampires with the oldest Spirits are usually able to provide a lot of information on the other beings in the Otherworld, so they keep and supplement the studies and archives. It’s always useful to know more about the being you’re sharing your body with. And if it’s a new Spirit we’ve never heard of, the others will be very excited. It’s important to maintain detailed records. You’ll hear more about that later. You’ll get to settle in for a couple of days, first.”

“So you have something like a Spirit library at this headquarters?”

“Something like that. You’ll see when we get there,” Kaz responded, and I got the impression that he was done discussing the subject. It was just as well; I needed to think, anyways.

Still, I noticed how perturbed and disgruntled Adam looked in the front seat. It seemed that, despite the fact that he had Turned me, the Spirit in my mind would not listen to his orders, and it was uncommon for such a thing to happen.

Against my better judgment, a small smile formed on my face. For some reason, pushing Adam’s buttons gave me a twisted sense of satisfaction, and I was glad someone else was experiencing the Spirit’s stubbornness.

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“Almost there,” Kaz murmured sometime later, bringing me to attention. I nodded absentmindedly.

I had been listlessly staring at the trees, eyeing the horizon with some trepidation. The sun was just peeking over the edge, turning the sky into a canvas of mottled orange and pink. During the drive, I had instinctively moved away from the window as the morning approached. I wasn’t sure if it was the Spirit’s instinct or mine, now. However, I had quickly realized that the windows of the car were either really tinted or made of some special material, because the wane light that got through did not burn my skin.

I made a mental note to ask Kaz about it later. Adam would probably not even bother to answer my question, and for some reason, I felt more comfortable around Kaz.

I would not mind getting more “comfortable” with the one that bit you, She mused.

 I made an incredulous noise aloud and coughed quickly to cover it up.

 Where the hell did that come from?

I know about you humans and your sexual appetite. I also know that yours has never been sated.

 What are you TALKING about? I don’t have a “sexual appetite!” My mortification was increasing and I hoped I wasn’t outwardly manifesting it.

You do. And it is only adding to my hunger. It is…distracting. There is a prime specimen right there to satiate you.

Please stop talking.

Did I hit a nerve? She asked snarkily, sounding pleased with herself. If he is not sufficient, I am sure I can seek out another.

Just. Stop. I snapped. My embarrassment was only increasing at the inappropriate image in my mind. Worse, I wasn’t sure she was conjuring it up, or if it was my own perverted side. The one thing I knew for certain was that I would not be able to withstand constant sexual comments from her, especially about Adam. He may be attractive, but he was sitting three feet in front of me, for crying out loud!

She chuckled darkly. I scowled, glad that the two vampires in front of me were oblivious to it all.

I turned to look out the window again, unsure of where we were. We had been driving for a couple of hours, but I did not know which direction. Were we even still in Michigan?

Thick undergrowth and tall trees pressed in on either side of the narrow road, which was scarcely paved. It wound through the forest, and I felt like I would never be able to re-trace our steps if it came down to it. Sunlight fought to get through the sprawling branches, and only thin beams of light reached the mossy ground below.

Still, Kaz drove mostly silently, only muttering to Adam occasionally. I got the impression they wanted me to hold my questions until we reached the Headquarters.

Only a couple of minutes later, Kaz turned off of the road. Ahead, there was a large gate with a small building, a shack really, sitting next to it. As Kaz smoothly pulled towards the gate, whoever was manning it must have recognized his car. He didn’t even need to roll the window down before the gate jerked once and then pulled to the side, allowing us access.

Trees arched overhead now in smooth rows as opposed to the abstract wilderness through which we’d been driving. The road was smoother instead of rough gravel. As we turned one last bend, the trees abruptly ended and I saw it: the Headquarters.

At first glance, it looked like…well, a giant, white mansion. It was three-stories tall, and a wide circular drive led up to four tall, imposing white columns at the front entryway.  We were still a good distance away from the entrance, but with my enhanced vision, I could squint and see massive steps leading up to a set of double doors. Further down the mansion, on either side of the entryway, I saw large, square terraces held up by smaller white columns. I couldn’t even count how many rooms there were, but everything was perfectly symmetrical on either side of the entryway.

The Headquarters was set on a smooth, green landscape that was so well-kept it could put a golf course to shame. Perfectly trimmed hedges and bright flowers framed the front edges of the building, but did not make it look any “homier.” There was a large, gurgling fountain out front, surrounded by more flowerbeds.

It was definitely too professional, too precise to be a family home, not that I expected one. It was more like a mansion-office hybrid.

“What do you think?” Kaz asked, glancing over his shoulder.

“It’s very…..grand,” I replied, not sure what other word could describe it.

I would expect nothing less, the Spirit remarked snootily.

I blinked with surprise as Kaz turned away from the main circular drive, heading down a narrower road that wound towards the back of the mansion. I belatedly realized that there must be some sort of back entrance so that we didn’t have to expose ourselves to the sunlight. He’d said it wouldn’t kill us instantly, but would still irritate our skin.

As we pulled around, the small, neat hedges from the front grew into very tall, thick walls of green that reminded me of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The hedges stretched the relatively short distance from the back of the mansion to the woods. Whatever went on behind the mansion would not be visible to outsiders.

Near the back of the hedges, just outside of the fringe of the forest, was a large, square building. Completely separate from the Headquarters, it was not nearly as grand. As Kaz pressed a button on a small device and a large door slowly slid up, I realized why: it was a garage; a massive garage that was the size of a warehouse.  As we pulled in I noticed over a dozen cars parked inside. They ranged from the most nondescript minivan to sleek, flashy sports cars.

Kaz maneuvered until he could park the car, then indicated that we get out. The garage was scarcely lit but with my new vision, I could make out every detail. The stench of gasoline, dirt, and metal was nearly overpowering.

“This is how we get to the Headquarters during the day,” Kaz stated, indicating a nearby door. When he opened it, I saw a flight of steps leading down. “It connects to the Headquarters and keeps us out of the sunlight.”

We began to trudge down the stairs, and I noticed a long, narrow passageway extending all the way towards a door at the far end. There were a couple of doors on the sides of the tunnel, but a more pressing question had caught my attention.

“When we get inside, will I be able to call my family?”

I had (stupidly) taken my phone into the grave with me without meaning to, and it was now dead and caked with mud. With all of the chaos, I had only realized when we were nearly here that my family was probably in a panic. I felt guilty for worrying them, but when they realized I was no longer sick…

“No need,” Adam replied coolly. My gaze snapped to his back, as he was walking in front of me.

“…what?”

“We took care of it.”

“How…when…”I began, completely lost, and my suspicion growing.

Adam gave an exaggerated sign, as if I were the dumbest creature he’d ever come across. The Spirit did not like that, and I felt her twinge of irritation.

Kaz cut in before Adam could say something condescending. “We spoke to the nurses at the hospital, and your family, too. The nurses think you were well enough to go home. Your family doesn’t expect to see you for a few days because you’re going on a trip with your friends.”

I felt another stab of suspicion. “So you have to have done this before I left the hospital, then. Or while I was leaving. Which means you knew all along what I would choose.”

“You were nervous when we first approached you, but we could see the resolution in your eyes. You wanted to live, so we spoke to the hospital staff and your family the night you were supposed to meet us.”

“Did you mind control them or something?” I asked, my displeasure evident in my voice, along with a nervous edge. The thought immensely disturbed me.

“Not exactly. We Persuaded them, but it isn’t the same as mind control or hypnosis.”

“But how? Is that some vampire super-ability?”

“No. Some can do it, most can’t.”

“I don’t understand,” I replied, frustrated.

“Of course you don’t,” Adam replied coolly. I tossed him an angry look, feeling one hand automatically clench into a fist.

“Stop being a dick, Adam,” Kaz said tiredly. The blond scoffed but said nothing else.

 "Look, Lucy, we’ve already explained a lot to you today. I know it’s overwhelming. After you get some rest, we’ll tell you about Persuasion. Just know that your family is not out looking for you, and if all goes well, you’ll get to visit them soon.”

I sighed with aggravation, then hesitated. “What do you mean, “if all goes well”?”

“We’ve got to test you, of course, and you need to meet the others. The Commander-”

“Bless his soul,” Adam drawled, and he seemed to have an angry hunch to his shoulders as he spoke. Kaz glanced at him darkly but continued, “The Commander will need to speak to you and your Spirit, especially since it—she—won’t give her name.”

“And then I can see my family?”

“Yes, although there are some conditions. You won’t be as…safe…around them now.”

I opened my mouth to ask another question, not caring one bit about Adam’s irritation, but Adam spoke even before I could.

“Let’s go.”

I’d been so focused on the conversation that I’d barely realized we’d stopped walking in front of a nondescript set of wooden double doors at the end of the tunnel.

Kaz turned to face me. The lighting of the tunnel was dim as in the garage, and his eyes looked darker than ever when they honed in on me. “All right, Lucy, you ready to go in? There’s no turning back now.”

Yes, yes, let us get on with it, the Spirit muttered irritably. She could not care less about my concerns for my family.

I took a deep breath, nodding my head once. I didn’t really have a choice at this point.

With a jerk, Adam pulled upon the doors. Kaz raised an arm and gestured inside.

“Welcome to the Headquarters, Lucy.”

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A/N:

I know this feels like a filler, but I have the next couple of chapters written – exciting, right? Remember, these chapters will be shorter than those in MDK. That’s intentional.

 I have to self-edit chapter 6 but it should be up tomorrow...and 7 the day after that. The more comments and votes I get, the sooner I’ll put it up!

Thank you guys for your patience. It means a lot. Once again, your questions about vampires will be answered in the upcoming chapters.

Cover on the side is by sellsemma (if I got that wrong, please correct me.)

The song: “Strange and Beautiful” by Aqualung.